Exercise Kowari changes gear

Soldiers and marines from Australia, China and the United States have been putting their newfound survival skills to the test after being deposited in remote bushland for the final phase of Exercise Kowari.

The 30 participants in the survival training activity were split into two groups, located about 200m apart in thick vine forest, about 100m from a creek. They were left without food or water.

First Lieutenant Christopher Jones of the United States Army said Group One’s initial focus was on water, shelter and food.

“First we agreed that Lyndal (Australian Army Lieutenant Lyndal Day) would be our team leader,” Lieutenant Jones said.

“Then we began distilling creek water and putting transpiration bags over leafy branches.

“We made a frame for our shelter and cut palm fronds for the roof.

“We cut off the heart of the palm for food and we also found some figs.

“Hando and Ritz then caught 11 fish down at the creek,” he said, referring to Australian Army Lieutenant Kyle Handreck and United States Army First Lieutenant Jordan Ritter.

“It sounds a lot, but those fish are small and they don’t go a long way when there are 15 people to feed.”

Exercise Kowari is the first land-based trilateral military exercise involving Australian, Chinese and United States personnel.

The participants completed six days of instruction from the North West Mobile Force (Norforce), home to the Australian Army’s experts in survival training.

The participants were split into three groups of 10, each containing a mix of nationalities, and then merged into two groups of 15, which altered the group dynamic and forced the teams to form new relationships.

“It was a little different, because they already had their roles and we were the new people,” said Lieutenant Jones, one of five Group Three members to have joined Group One.

“We were able to get through that issue pretty quickly. We all slept in one big shelter last night, so we’re already a family.”

Fellow US Army Officer Second Lieutenant Daniel Strickland was in Group Three but is now a part of Group Two.